Military pushes motorcycle safety, two service members died in crashes this month

Jon Hemphill, of the 46th Test Squadron, takes a turn on the training course at Eglin Air Force Base's annual motorcycle safety rally April 13, 2012. The rally brought together a record number of 650 bikers from all services and bases for safety discussions, riding courses and group rides.

Randy Gon / U.S. Air Force

By LAUREN SAGE REINLIE / Daily News

Published: Sunday, February 23, 2014 at 09:41 PM.

Two active-duty service members died within a week of each other earlier this month, both from area motorcycle crashes.

Their deaths serve as a reminder of the importance of educating service members about motorcycle safety, a mission military officials have focused on in recent years in an effort to curb the number of fatalities among the ranks.

“We’re really pushing the program everywhere, to keep service members continually aware,” said David Clingerman, the safety program manager for the Army 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne). “All of us have moments in life when we let our guard down, we don’t want that to be on a bike.”

One of his soldiers, Staff Sgt. Andrew Koerner, 28, died when his motorcycle crashed into a pick-up truck on State Road 85 on Feb. 8. A Crestview resident also was killed.

Five day earlier, on Feb. 3, Senior Airman Ignacio Arostegui, a 23-year-old assigned to Eglin Air Force Base, died in a crash on U.S. Highway 98 in Destin.

Since 2008, at least five active-duty service members have been killed in area motorcycle crashes, including the two deaths this month, according to the Daily News library.

Clingerman said service members seem to have a propensity to get on bikes, and in recent years the Department of Defense took note of the number of fatalities.

“A lot of these soldiers, they go for pretty long deployments, save up some money and, especially the younger ones, they like to buy some toys with that money. A lot end up buying a motorcycle,” he said.

After noticing a trend in their traffic fatalities, the Department of Defense implemented more stringent safety requirements for those who choose to ride.

Two active-duty service members died within a week of each other earlier this month, both from area motorcycle crashes.

Their deaths serve as a reminder of the importance of educating service members about motorcycle safety, a mission military officials have focused on in recent years in an effort to curb the number of fatalities among the ranks.

“We’re really pushing the program everywhere, to keep service members continually aware,” said David Clingerman, the safety program manager for the Army 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne). “All of us have moments in life when we let our guard down, we don’t want that to be on a bike.”

One of his soldiers, Staff Sgt. Andrew Koerner, 28, died when his motorcycle crashed into a pick-up truck on State Road 85 on Feb. 8. A Crestview resident also was killed.

Five day earlier, on Feb. 3, Senior Airman Ignacio Arostegui, a 23-year-old assigned to Eglin Air Force Base, died in a crash on U.S. Highway 98 in Destin.

Since 2008, at least five active-duty service members have been killed in area motorcycle crashes, including the two deaths this month, according to the Daily News library.

Clingerman said service members seem to have a propensity to get on bikes, and in recent years the Department of Defense took note of the number of fatalities.

“A lot of these soldiers, they go for pretty long deployments, save up some money and, especially the younger ones, they like to buy some toys with that money. A lot end up buying a motorcycle,” he said.

After noticing a trend in their traffic fatalities, the Department of Defense implemented more stringent safety requirements for those who choose to ride.